The Applicant envisages that this invention will advantageously be applicable in inspection, maintenance and other services, like cleaning, in respect of large vessels or containers in the food and beverage industry, the petro-chemical industry, or the like. The invention is, however, not limited to those fields.
In accordance with a first aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of servicing an interior of a large container, which container comprises a narrow opening providing access to the interior, the method including
providing a collapsible service apparatus; PA1 inserting the apparatus, while in a collapsed condition, through the opening; PA1 deploying the service device, when within the interior, into an operative condition such that extremities of the device extend toward a wall of the container; and PA1 performing a service operation on an internal wall surface of the container while supported on the apparatus at a position toward one of said extremities. PA1 rubbing said internal wall surface by means of bristles, brush-fashion, mounted on the apparatus; PA1 inspecting said internal wall surface by means of a video camera mounted on the apparatus; PA1 taking samples of matter at predetermined positions on said internal wall surface by pressing appropriate sample adhering surfaces against said internal wall surface at said predetermined positions; PA1 performing a welding operation; PA1 performing an electroplating operation; and PA1 performing a plasma spray depositing and electropolishing operation, and the like. PA1 an elongate central chine; PA1 a plurality of arms attached at one ends of the arms to the chine such that the arms are movable between collapsed conditions in which they extend alongside the chine to allow the service apparatus to pass through said narrow opening and deployed conditions in which they are opened to extend outwardly away from the chine; and PA1 stays arranged to stay the arms in the deployed conditions such that, when the arms assume decumbent orientations, they can support weight. PA1 said one ends of the arms may be pivoted to the chine; PA1 the service apparatus may include a collar movable to and fro along the chine; and PA1 the stays may be pivoted at opposed ends respectively to the collar and at positions on the arms spaced from said one ends, deploying and collapsing of the arms being effected in use by appropriately displacing the collar to and fro along the chine. PA1 a rubbing device having bristles and drive means for the bristles to cause the bristles to perform a rubbing action against an internal wall surface of the container; PA1 a video camera for taking visual images of said internal wall surface; PA1 sample taking means adapted to press sample adhering surfaces against said internal wall surface at predetermined positions to take samples of matter at said positions; PA1 welding apparatus arranged to deposit a welding material at a predetermined position on said internal wall surface; PA1 an electroplating device suitable to perform an electroplating operation on said internal wall surface; PA1 a plasma spray depositing and electropolishing device suitable to perform a plasma spray depositing and electropolishing operation on said internal wall surface.
When said narrow opening is at a top of the container, inserting the apparatus through the opening may be by means of a suspension element anchored externally of the container. The method may then include selectively raising and lowering the apparatus by winching said suspension element appropriately. A winch supported externally of the container may be provided to effect winching.
The apparatus may include a central chine and a plurality of arms attached at one ends of the arms to the chine and extending generally longitudinally with the chine while the apparatus is in said collapsed condition. Deploying the apparatus may include opening the arms outwardly to extend generally away from the chine. Conveniently, said one ends of the arms may be pivoted to the chine. The apparatus may include a collar movable to and fro along the chine and stays extending pivotally between the collar and positions on the arms spaced from said one ends. Opening of the arms may then be effected by appropriately displacing the collar along the chine. Displacing the collar may be by rotating a lead screw relative to a complemental screw thread, the lead screw being located on one of the collar and the chine and the screw thread being located on the other of the collar and the chine. Advantageously, in the interest of stability, the length of the chine may be at least about one half the nominal diameter of the container.
By way of development, the method may include abutting said internal wall surface of the container by means of rollers at ends of the arms and guiding the apparatus against said wall.
Instead or preferably in addition, the method may include selectively abutting said internal wall surface by means of stabilizing members at ends of the arms thereby to stabilize the apparatus against said wall to keep the apparatus at even keel in use.
Performing the service operation may be effected manually by means of at least one operator supported within the container on the apparatus.
Instead, performing the service operation may be mechanically by means of a mechanical device. Thus, performing the service operation may include one of:
Advantageously, the method may include controlling the mechanical device from a remote position. The method may further include mechanically moving the apparatus within the container, moving including at least one of raising, lowering and pivoting the apparatus. The method may then include controlling operation of the mechanical device and moving of the apparatus by means of programmable logic.
By way of development, the method may include recording transient positions of said mechanical device relative to the inner wall surface against time. This feature will enable a service operation to be performed automatically, under programmed logic control, at predetermined positions of the internal wall surface.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, there is provided a service apparatus suitable for use inside a large container having a narrow opening providing access to an interior thereof, the service apparatus including
In the service apparatus
The service apparatus may thus include deploying means comprising a lead screw anchored on one of the chine and the collar, a complemental screw thread receiving the lead screw and being located on the other of the chine and the collar, and rotary drive means arranged to effect relative rotation between the lead screw and the screw thread.
By way of development, the service apparatus may include rollers arranged at ends of the arms to abut and roll against an internal wall surface of the container to guide the apparatus. At least one of said rollers may drivingly be connected to rotary drive means selectively to drive the apparatus relative to said internal wall surface.
Further by way of development, instead, or in addition, the service apparatus may include stabilizing members at ends of the arms and displacement means selectively to extend the stabilizing members to abut an internal wall surface of the container to stabilize the apparatus against a wall of the container to keep the apparatus at even keel in use.
In a preferred embodiment, the service apparatus may include a mechanical service device and mounting means for mounting the mechanical service device toward an extremity of one of the arms. The mechanical service device may be one of
It is envisaged that more than one of these mechanical service devices may be provided, and that such devices can readily be mounted on and dismounted from the arm. All or some of the devices may be mountable on common mounting means provided on the arm.
The service apparatus may have mounting means for suspending the chine from a suspension element to allow the apparatus to be suspended within the container via the suspension element.
The service apparatus may then include winch means including said suspension element attached to the chine, the winch means being supportable externally of the container and being adapted to winch the suspension element in and out respectively to raise and lower the apparatus in the container.
The service apparatus may include displacements means for selectively displacing the apparatus in respect of at least one of pivoting, raising and lowering the apparatus within the container. Pivoting may be effected by the driven roller, and raising and lowering may be effected by the winch means. The service apparatus may then include remote control means for controlling the displacement device and the mechanical service device from a position externally of the container. The remote control means may include programmable logic control means.